The first known visit of Commedia dell'Arte to Russia was in 1773 when an Italian troupe performed for Empress Anna Joannavna.
Russian theatre practitioners, such as Meyerhold and Copeau, reimagined the ideas of Commedia dell'Arte by making the actors equal to the director.
Commedia first entered France in the 1500's, yet it was expelled by Louis XIV because he was anti-Italian troupes.
During the 17th Century, Commedia del'Arte began to spread out of Italy due to females not wearing their masks during performances.
(Fig. 1 for this page) Painting by Valery Jacobi depicting a play being performed for Anna of Russia
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE'S INFLUENCE ON THEATRE PRACTICES
Moliere was influenced by Commedia (French Neoclassic) If you look below you can see how Moliere's Tartuffe had elaborate, and classic Commedia type costumes.
Some aspects, for example, physicality, were incorporated into advanced miming.
(Fig. 2 for this page)Moment from Moliere's Tartuffe at the Craig Hall's Coger Theater
FAMOUS WORKS INSPIRED BY COMMEDIA
The Tempest (1610) by William Shakespeare
Servant of Two Masters (1746) by Carlo Goldoni
Tartuffe (1664) by Moliere
(Fig. 3 for this page) Scene from A Servant of Two Masters at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center
Sources Brockett, Oscar G. The Essential Theatre. Eleventh ed., PDF-ed., Cengage Learning.
Coggins, Matt. "Commedia dell'Arte and Its Impact on Modern Comedy." Commedia
dell'Arte and Its Impact on Modern Comedy, 7 Dec. 2013, prezi.com/
Fig. 2 Tartuffe Costuming. 16 March 2015. Theatre and Dance. N.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. www.blogs.missouristate.edu/theatreanddance/2015/03/26/tartuffe-costumes-inspired-by-17th-century-dress/
Fig. 3. Krulwich, Sara. A scene from ‘The Servant of Two Masters”. Nov. 16 2016. The New York Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/theater/review-the-servant-of-two-masters-and-his-misfortunes.html
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE'S INFLUENCE ON THEATRE PRACTICES
FAMOUS WORKS INSPIRED BY COMMEDIA
Sources
Brockett, Oscar G. The Essential Theatre. Eleventh ed., PDF-ed., Cengage
Learning.
Coggins, Matt. "Commedia dell'Arte and Its Impact on Modern Comedy." Commedia
dell'Arte and Its Impact on Modern Comedy, 7 Dec. 2013, prezi.com/
dgz64rkdnzcg/commedia-dellarte-and-its-impact-on-modern-comedy/. Accessed
20 Oct. 2017.
Pictures
Fig. 1. Jacobi, Valery. The Court Jesters of Empress Anna Ioanova. 1872. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. http://19thcenturyrusspaint.blogspot.com/2012/06/valery-jacobi.html
Fig. 2 Tartuffe Costuming. 16 March 2015. Theatre and Dance. N.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. www.blogs.missouristate.edu/theatreanddance/2015/03/26/tartuffe-costumes-inspired-by-17th-century-dress/
Fig. 3. Krulwich, Sara. A scene from ‘The Servant of Two Masters”. Nov. 16 2016. The New York Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/theater/review-the-servant-of-two-masters-and-his-misfortunes.html